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BF through the night at 9 months?

Ok so I have another question now!
We are co-sleeping but I'd like to try getting her in her own bed now.
She also feeds about 4-6 times a night and I'm exhausted to the point where I don't feel im doing as good a job as I could be at being patient and aware.
I've tried to put her in her crib but its hopeless - she just cries and I'm not a cry it out mummy.
I've tried putting her down after she falls asleep but she is onto me! She wakes up straight away, stands up and cries!
She also won't fall asleep unless she is on the breast and now it seems she will only nap on the breast which can be anywhere from an hour to 2 hours!
I'm sure all the breast feeding must put a bit of a drain on my body - I'm feeding her more now than when she was a newborn!

Re: BF through the night at 9 months?

An alternative to moving her to her own bed might be to tweak your night nursing set-up a bit so you don't wake yourself up so much.

If you move her to her own bed, she might still wake up as often but now she'd be waking up more fully, crying, and you'd have to actually get out of your bed to go over to her, which I would think might make you more exhausted.

Can you explain a bit more why are you exhausted?

My daughter is 14 mo and also wakes me 4-10 times per night to nurse, and nurses every hour or more all day, but I don't feel tired. I did feel FRUSTRATED when we were sleeping in a tent on a hard surface and I had trouble going back to sleep, and my husband's loud snores kept me awake - (grrrr!). But in bed I just let her latch on and fall back to sleep myself. To keep yourself from waking up too much, in case you haven't tried these things, I find it really helps to nurse side-lying with a pillow against my back. I wear a long-sleeved shirt to bed so my arms don't get too cold when out of the covers. I sleep just with baby on a double bed mattress; my husband sleeps in another room so our nursing doesn't wake him and his snoring doesn't prevent me from going back to sleep.

Also, can you sleep long hours with baby? nap with baby during the day?

I agree if it's housework you need to do, nearly all of it can be done with baby awake, but you have to change your mindset from trying to efficiently accomplish tasks to trying to enjoy time with baby and get a couple things done meanwhile. so yes, baby will un-sweep the dirt you are sweeping, and unfold the clothes you are folding, and everything takes twice as long, but you are enjoying this time with baby and baby is enjoying helping you.

I also have trouble putting my baby down directly if she falls asleep nursing in my arms. So what I do is I shift to a side-lying nursing position and let her keep sucking while we are lying on the bed. Then after a few minutes I can take the nipple out of her mouth and she will stay asleep. I've never been able to get her into a crib.

As for nursing putting a drain on your body, I'm pretty sure our bodies were meant to be able to do this, so just make sure you drink plenty of water and eat lots of healthy food!

Finally, if she is nursing more than usual at night, it may be teething. I know mine nurses more often for comfort at night when she is teething.

Re: BF through the night at 9 months?

Hi Tanpixie!

I am there with you too! My LO is still nursing at night and we do bed share, and I have ideas of moving to the crib sometimes...But really, I don't think were ready for it yet. I pretty much have just accepted it is the new normal. I feel pretty good these days because the night waking hasn't been more than 2-3 times BUT it can just change on a dime, to like well WAY more and on those days and nights, I AM FREAKING NUTS AND TIRED. and so I feel for you! Believe me. Best thing I have done, it has affected my marriage though, another post, but i sleep separately from DH and I go to bed usually when LO does. No fun I know. Like, I can sometime lay him in his crib at the first part of the night, when I just have to get a few things done. Then I just go get him, awake or asleep and we go to the big bed. LOL have you tried that?

I dont really see how someone can "squeeze" extra nursing sessions in during the day so the LO doesn't need to nurse as much at night?? And our supplies would be unchanged? If that were possible.. I mean,,, wouldn't we all be doing that? And half of these heart wrenching posts wouldnt exist. For us Mamas who nurse of demand YKWIM!

Good luck! HOpe all is well with you otherwise!
Babies are growing up!

Re: BF through the night at 9 months?

You are not alone! My 9.5 months old now nurses all.night.long! Like every 20 minutes for part of the night! If I'm lucky I get a 2-hour stretch of sleep! Most of the time he wakes me again just when I fall back asleep! To say I'm frustrated is an understatement!

I agree with above post that co sleeping is the only way to survive. Also, I retire the same time as my lo, at around 8 pm, and up for good when he does, usually around 7am-ish. What I lack in quality sleep I have to make up for in quantity. Yes, somethings have to give, like quality time with hubby when he returns home at night, personal time, etc. But I believe the situation is temporary.

Regarding the post above on hubby's snoring, have you tried playing a white noise throughout the night? I swear it Helps both lo and I sleep better. And effectively masks out hubby's snoring too! I most use a 'rain' sound, played either from a white noise app from my iPhone, or sometimes I uses dr Harvey Karp's white noise cd, track 6 'rain on the roof'.

I've read that besides growth spurt and teething, baby's brain is in a developmental overdrive at around 9 months of age. Too many things are going on in their brains and make it very difficult for them to sleep. Hope you find comfort in knowing about these causes! Hang in there?

Re: BF through the night at 9 months?

Oh my thanks so much!
@mommylove my marriage is suffering also - my DH sleeps in the same bed with, he refuses to sleep on the couch any longer - it has been 9 months so fair enough but makes it a.bit more uncomfortable for me - hunter is beside me against the wall!
We haven't been intimate for 5 months!!!
As to feeling tired, PP I'd love to hear about ways to not wake tired!
I'm exhausted - I forget things like the fact I'm cooking something or feeding the cat, house work can wait trust me on that one and I do feed her lying down but she is a baby that sits up then looks around - she moves around like a cat trying to get comfortable and then decides she'll feed so by that stage I'm awake making sure she doesn't bang her head or sleep to close to my pillow etc etc!!'
Ha anyway thanks for the stories and advice - definitely helps!!

Re: BF through the night at 9 months?

Oh also I just can't get her into her crib - as soon as I'm laying her down she wakes!!
I'm thinking if her bed beside our bed - just her mattress ?
Then just our mattress so I don't have to get up - DH hates the idea as he think its just like camping and he just wants a bed and sleep.
Also PP you slept in a tent?
Camping or a Indian type tent house!
As per usual my mommy brain has forgotten the word!